Travel

Our journey with solid food for our first born, Harper, was slow and steady to say the least. When we first introduced Harper to solid foods at around 5 months, she seemed more interested in experimenting with different tastes and textures then actually eating the food for substantial sustenance. However, at around 14 months Harper all of a sudden turned into an eating machine. With our second, Hope, it seems as though she has been eating solids since the beginning. Having a big sister to bum snacks off of made it an easy transition from breastmilk to strawberries, bacon, donuts and more.

But having a baby that eats solid food on a regular basis was challenging for me at first. However, I learned with my first daughter that the key to success was making sure you have age appropriate food on you at all times. So here is a list of some of our favorite snacks that we like to keep on hand when we are out and about.

1. Apple Slices: This has always been a go-to snack for both of my girls. And even when they only had a few teeth, they still were able to devour them pretty well. At first I tried peeling them but then learned that they would crumble too easily. So now that I leave the skin on, it seems to be easier for them to eat. What makes this snack so easy is that apples are readily available, even sliced, so it’s a great option in a pinch.

2. Baby Carrots: Neither of my girls were into pureed carrots, but they would turn into little rabbits when it came to gnawing on a raw one! And baby carrots are the perfect size. When the girls were teething I would usually give them a large carrot to chew on straight from the fridge. The coolness of the carrot seems to help sooth her gums. But for a quick and easy snack, both girls are happy with a fist (or two) fitted with a baby carrot.

3. Dried Mango: My girls definitely love their fruit. And their new favorite snack is dried mango. Dried fruit is healthy and convenient. I am a big fan of anything that travels well. Not only does Hope enjoy the taste of dried mango, but she likes that she can hold is in her hand and chomp on it by herself. I buy most of my dried fruit at Trader Joes. They offer a variety of different kinds of dried fruit and the price is always right.

4. Puffs: Puffs were a fairly new phenomenon when Harper was born but it seems that all the kids are into them these days, and Hope is no exception. I do my best not to load my girls up on carbs, but a few puffs here and there never hurt. Plus, they are a great way for her to work on her fine motor skills as she carefully picks each puff up with her pincer grasp.

5. Seaweed: Who would have thought that my girls would LOVE seaweed? And onion flavored at that! But all jokes aside, this stuff is snack food you can feel good about. Seaweed is rich in minerals such as iodine, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Also, seaweed provides fiber, vitamins, enzymes and high quality proteins. So I couldn’t be happier to have the girls start such a healthy habit at a young age 🙂

6. Harvest Snaps: Another winner seems to be these light and crunchy Harvest Snaps. They taste great and are a healthy alternative to chips. So I never feel guilty when I accidentally eat half the bag (I do my best to make sure I leave some for the girls…).

7. Just Peas: These might be my best find to date. Harper and Hope love their green veggies but “gocki” on the go can get a bit messy. When she was little, Harper wasn’t a fan of cooked (or frozen) peas. But she LOVED freeze-dried peas. Which means, thanks to these amazing snacks, Harper and Hope can get in all her suggested veggie servings whether they are sitting at the dinner table or playing at the park.

When it comes to food on the go, I do my best to offer Harper and Hope with fruits and veggies whenever possible. Having a stash of these in my purse or the back of the car can help to fill our Coco Bean’s tummies until we can make it home in time for a proper meal.

So now we want to hear from you! What are some of your “go-to” baby snacks? Any foods that you are surprised your Coco Bean likes or doesn’t like?